


Happy Ending

by Hbowe08



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Funeral, Post-Canon, Royai - Freeform, Royai Flashbacks, i love these two so much, sad roy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-29 01:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11430396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hbowe08/pseuds/Hbowe08
Summary: "Not everyone gets a happy ending." His mind was a mess. He couldn't stop it. The despair, the overwhelming guilt, and worst of all were the continuous flood of memories. Part of him just wanted to turn it off again, to forget her, to forget all of it. The other part was clinging to those memories for dear life. He felt like they were all that was anchoring him to world now.





	1. Funeral

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I started posting this fic over at fanfiction.net a while ago, and recently started to rewrite it and continue with the last few chapters! So I thought I would post it over here too as my first story! I have this planned out for 5 chapters and have outlined a companion fic as well. Let me know what you think!  
> Hope you enjoy!

He hadn’t planned on going to the funeral. The idea of having to sit through the service, the speeches, and the reception; it made him sick. None of them had known her like he had. None of them would ever care about her like he had. Their speeches filled with memories and regrets only fueled the flame inside him. What right did any of them have to speak about her? What made them think that their tears meant anything?

But in the end he went.

And he listened. 

He accepted their condolences and ignored their concerned glances. No one had known her like he had. And it was for that reason that we went to the service, helped carry her casket, and watched as they lowered the one woman he had loved above all else into the ground.

He hadn’t spoken a single word throughout the service. They asked him to make a speech of course, but he declined. As the crowd thinned, he stood resolute before her grave.

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned to see Gracia Hughes standing next to him, tears in her eyes and holding tight to her daughter’s hand. 

“Roy, I’m so sorry. Please, come by the house any time. You know you are always welcome.” He gave her a weak smile and even hugged her back when she wrapped her arms around him. He knew that this woman, more than anyone, understood. She placed a hand gently on his arm and kissed his cheek before stepping back.

“Come by soon Uncle Roy,” said Elicia as she gave him a quick hug. She barely had to stand on her toes to hug him now; he was always amazed by how much she’d grown.

“Sir, we’ll wait for you at the car,” said Havoc from behind him. Roy didn’t turn to see his friend lead a blubbering Rebecca and Fuery back towards the car. He inwardly thanked them for the space. They had their own losses to grieve. Breda’s funeral had been just a few days earlier.

Roy hadn’t attended. He knew Havoc might never forgive him for that.

His mind was a mess. He couldn’t stop it. The despair, the overwhelming guilt, and worst of all were the continuous flood of memories. Part of him just wanted to turn it off again, to forget her, to forget all of it. The other part was clinging to those memories for dear life. He felt like they were all that was anchoring him to world now.

* * * * * *

“So things in Ishval are running smoothly I presume?” said the new Fuhrer as his bishop took Roy’s rook.  
“Quite well for now. There’s still a lot of resistance but most of the citizens are coming around. The city-wide construction is underway and were moving another few hundred Ishvalans into the housing developments next week.” Roy took a sip of his coffee before making his move.

“I see,” Grumman set down his cup and folded his hands on the table. “So I assume you and my grand-daughter will be returning to Ishval soon?”

“Yes, I believe we’ll be departing the day after tomorrow.”

Fuhrer Grumman nodded thoughtfully. “Mustang.” He said intently, making the General look up from his coffee.

“Yes sir?”

“There was a reason I asked you to see me today.” Roy was silent. “I’ve made a decision that I believe will greatly change the way this military is run. And I believed that you should be the first to know.”

“Sir?”

Grumman leaned forward and looked the General in the eyes. “Mustang, I’ve decided… to throw out all of the instant coffee. It is absolute crap and I’ll have none of my officers drinking that bile. It’s beans, or nothing. It’s an extra cost, but I just cannot take it anymore.” He sat back, smirking at the look on his General’s face.

Mustang shook his head lightly. “Whatever you say Fuhrer,” he lifted up his cup to take another sip of his crappy coffee.

“Oh, and I’m abolishing the anti-fraternization law,” Grumman added as an afterthought.

Roy’s coffee was spewed all over the chess set. “What?!” He looked at the Fuhrer’s smug face, his own turning from shock, to disbelieve, to hopeful before he cleared his throat and composed himself. “You- you are sir?”

“Yes,” said Grumman sitting back. “I think it’s about time we do away with that ancient rule. I’ll be making an announcement in the next few days, but I thought you would like to know ahead of time.” He grinned and looked at Mustang suggestively, “because you’re returning to Ishval and all.”

Mustang cleared his throat again, then stood up and saluted. “Thank you sir. Permission to be excused?” Grumman waved his hand dismissively and Roy exited the office hastily.

He walked in a daze of disbelief back to his own office, ignoring the calls and greetings from officers he passed.

Riza.

That one thought made him walk faster. He had to stop himself from sprinting full out.  
“Hey General, how was the Fuhrer? Finally give you permission for that new irrigation system in Ishval?” Said Havoc as Mustang entered the office. He waked right by, ignoring Havoc’s comment. “Sir?”

He saw her. Sitting at her desk scribbling away at one of the endless piles of paperwork he had been avoiding. “Captain Hawkeye.” He stopped before her desk, hands shaking. She noticed his flushed state instantly: her questioning eyes meeting his.

“General? Are you-?”

“Meet me in my office.”

“Sir-?”

He had already closed his door behind him.

He was unmoving, standing straight and staring at the door, his hands clenched into shaking fists at his sides. Was this really happening? Could he-? After all these years-. Could they finally-? His thoughts cut off as the door opened. And then he moved.  
The door slammed behind Riza as she was pushed against it, his lips slamming down on hers. She gave a short gasp of surprise before raising her hands up to his chest. Roy held her face in his hands, crushing himself against her and putting all of his pent up emotions and hopes into his kiss.

He knew he was being hasty and irrational, but his body was on autopilot. He had always known that he loved her. Had always known that if things had been different, nothing could have kept him from being with her. Since the words had left the new Fuhrer’s mouth the only thing he could think was that now, finally, there was a chance.  
Every day, every time he saw her, he had to mentally restrain himself from kissing her. And now, finally- His soft lips moved against hers, passionate and fierce. As her lips parted beneath his, he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him, relishing in the feeling of her body against his after all this time.

She pulled back to take a breath and then his lips were on her neck.  
He heard a short intake of breath before she pushed him away. ”Stop,” she said, slightly out of breath. Roy staggered back staring lustily at the disheveled woman. He moved towards her again but she stopped him, pushing him away again, “Sir,” her voice was firmer not. “This is inappropriate. We can’t-“

This time Roy smiled. “We can.” He trapped her hands on her chest with his own and pulled her towards him. “We can,” he repeated.

Riza signed, “What are you-?”

“Riza.” Her name on his lips stopped her mid sentence. It had been years since he had said her name. His hand caressed her face lightly. “I just talked to Grumman. He’s dropping the fraternization law.”

Her eyes widened. He took her surprise as an opportunity to kiss her again. This time she bit him. “General Mustang. You need to stop kissing me!” She backed out from against the door to walk across the office to a safe distance from him.

“Riza-“

“Sir. Fraternization law or not, this is completely inappropriate. You can’t just pull me into your office and-“ She took a breath and smoothed out her uniform. “This is unlike you sir. You need to think about your actions. In any case, this is not something we should be discussing here. Finish up your paperwork and then meet me at my apartment tonight. We can discuss this then, okay?”

Roy’s eyes were still blazing, but he nodded and allowed her to leave his office.  
As Riza headed back to her desk, she passed a snickering Havoc. She heard him mutter something like “General- stop kissing-“ before she wacked him over the head with a file.

* * * * * *

The memory hit Roy like a train. Before that day he had always been so careful, making sure he kept his feelings secret from both Riza and himself. There had always had a sort of unspoken understanding between the two, but it was rarely acted upon.

That day he had been so full of hope for their future. He had felt like all they had needed was an opportunity, a chance to be together, and nothing would stop them.

That was almost 10 years ago.

How naïve he had been.


	2. Hopeless Dreams

Roy wasn’t sure how long he had been standing in front of her grave. He wasn’t even sure what he was staring at anymore. The words engraved on the stone had lost their meaning.

Was this stone, this marker, really all that was left of her? One solid, bleak piece of rock was the only thing to commemorate her entire existence? It seemed impossible. So much of his life was now inside that damn stone.

How had it turned out like this? How, after everything they had been through together, had this been their ending? 

He was just so angry; so unbelievably furious and wrecked and disbelieving. Could it have been different? Could he have saved her? He knew he could have. He should have. It was his fault. He should have fought harder, been stronger, been quicker. 

Now she was gone, and it was horribly and entirely his fault.

* * * * * * 

Roy had just raised his fist to knock on Riza’s apartment door when it was swung open and Roy found himself, not for the first time, with a stone faced Riza Hawkeye pointing a gun at his face.

“Do you always greet guests this way?” He asked with a smirk.

“Sir, if you try and kiss me –I’ll shoot you.” Roy raised his hands in a gesture of innocence and she moved to let him pass into the apartment.

Riza’s apartment wasn’t unfamiliar to Roy, but he still felt a little awkward standing in her small living room, watching as she closed the door and turned to face him. They stared at each other across the room for what felt like hours to Roy. He drank in her appearance. She had changed out of her uniform into a simple pair of jeans and a pale woolen sweater, her golden hair falling around her shoulders. 

God she was beautiful. He had always thought so.

“Take a seat,” she said gesturing to the couch. He sat.

“Joining me?”

“No. I’d prefer not to.” 

He folded his hands in his lap, watching her, noticing the anxious twitch of her hands, her slightly furrowed eyebrows. Obviously she was still upset about his ambushing her earlier at the office. But she was just nervous about finally being able to be with him, right?

He was just about to open his mouth to speak when she took a step closer and said, “Sir, I know why you’re here and I know what you want, but I want you to listen to me for a minute. Alright?” He nodded. “Ambushing me earlier was completely inappropriate and unfair. No- I said listen.” 

She took a deep breath, her face expressionless. “Sir, the Fuhrer abolishing the fraternization law doesn’t change anything. Nothing can happen between you and I.”

He knew she was going to say that. But he wasn’t about to give up so easily. “Riza. I know that it’s been a long time, but everything is different now.”

She sighed and rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead. “You know Roy, it really hasn’t been that long, and I’m surprised that you’ve forgotten so easily. We decided a long time ago that we would have to put our feelings aside in order to do what we had to for this country. And we didn’t make that decision based on some silly fraternization law.” Her voice was firm and decided. It made his heart clench.

He hadn’t forgotten. He had reminded himself of that conversation every day for years, every time he saw her, every time he wanted to pull the clip out of her hair, or squeeze her hand before a battle, or pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. 

He reminded himself of their decision every day and used it to push down his desires and focus on the task at hand. But he had always thought, always hoped, that someday they could be together.

He stood up and walked towards her slowly. “Okay. That’s true. But the country is different now. The Promised Day, we’re finally making progress in Ishval, we’ve done so much already! Just think about this for a second-“

“Of course I’ve thought about it!” She said, her voice rising as she stepped away from him, unwilling to be distracted by his closeness. “But do you really think that us being together would do anything other than cause problems? I can’t be the wife of a Brigadier General, and especially not of the Fuhrer, and still be in the military. I can’t follow and protect you and also stand next to you. There’s no way the people would be alright with that.”

“Do you think that matters to me?! Do you know how long I’ve waiting for this?! For you?” She looked away, folding her arms over her chest. “Riza, you know- you have to have known- how I’ve always felt about you.” 

His stare burned into her, and he thought he saw tears threatening behind her eyes. But when she faced him again, she was as expressionless as ever. He walked back to the couch and sat down, running a hand though his dark hair, frustrated. 

Why was she pretended that none of this affected her?! He had wanted no one else since he was a teenager. And now that they finally had a chance to be together, was she really going to ignore it?

He looked up at her. “Could you please sit down? So we can talk about this?” She sighed, moving forward and sitting in the small loveseat across from him. They were silent for a minute. 

Then she spoke, looking down at her hands in her lap. “Do you remember after Ishval? I promised that I would follow you no matter what, that I would do whatever it took to help you reach the top and make this country a better place. And that has to stay the most important thing. Try and be rational about this. Don’t think about you and me, think about this country. You know that I’m right.”

He looked away, thinking it over. There would always be threats against Amestris and against him. Even if he did become Fuhrer, it would never be safe. They could use her against him, use her as his weakness. He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her because of him. Riza Hawkeye was the strongest woman he had ever known, but he also knew that she would never allow herself to be the one standing between him and the future he envisioned for Amestris. The country had to come first. The country would always come first.

“You always were one step ahead of the game,” he said turning towards her again. She looked at him with sad eyes. This was hurting her just as much as it hurt him. “Even if we kept it a secret-“

“It would be too dangerous. If anyone found out, or even suspected it-“

“They would use us against each other. I know.”

How was this happening? Just a few hours ago he had been so filled with hope, so excited and anxious, and so ready to finally be with this woman. Maybe he had let his excitement blind him. Nothing had changed. Nothing would ever change. But still- he had to ask.

He looked up at her, taking a deep breath as her eyes met his. “I just want to know one thing. Are you saying this because it would be too dangerous and because the country comes first… or are you saying this because you honestly don’t want to be with me?”

There must have been sadness in his face, a desperate longing in his eyes, because her face suddenly melted into one of surprise, then anger, and then a desperate sadness he hadn’t seen there for a long time.

She moved to sit on the couch next to him. She was inches away, their legs barely touching. She grabbed his chin to turn his face to hers and his skin tingled at the contact. “Roy Mustang,” his heart thudded in his chest as she said his name, “do not ever, ever think that I do not care about you.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“Do you remember when you first came to stay at my father’s house? You were the first real friend I ever had. You were the first person I trusted. You were my first kiss, my first-“

“I remember,” he interrupted, smiling at the light blush on her cheeks.

“Roy, I fell in love with you when I was 14 years old. And that has not, and will not, ever change.” 

He couldn’t help it; he kissed her.

It wasn’t like before. This kiss was slow, filled with meaning and the impossible love that they had for each other. And this time she really kissed him back. He reached a hand up hold her face

He’d learned his lesson though, and pulled back after a moment, resting his forehead against hers. “Please don’t shoot me,” he whispered. She smiled sadly at him, her eyes still closed.

He reached across the small space between them to take her hand in his, threading his fingers tightly though hers. “I hope you know that I refuse to give you up. I will not lose you.”

“You couldn’t get rid of me even if you wanted to Sir.” He lifted their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

He couldn’t be without her, but they could never be together the way he had envisioned. The idea of going back to the way it was before was unbelievably painful. Staring longingly at her across a room, being careful not to address her by name in public, burying away his feelings, he didn’t think he could stand it. But he had been strong before, and he could be strong again.

He looked down at the amazing woman leaning against him. This woman loved him. She loved him and supported him and would give up anything to make sure that he achieved his goal. And somehow, that would have to be enough.

* * * * * *

But it wasn’t. It could never have been enough. 

Roy thinks he must have known that all along. 

When they had sat there together, thinking about the future they would have together but always apart, when she had stood, hand still in his, and asked if he would stay with her, just for the night, when he had kissed her forehead in the morning before leaving her apartment, and for the years and years afterwards, it had never been enough. 

And now she was gone. Dead.

That was it, the ending to their nonexistent love story. She was dead.

It should have been him.


End file.
